//------------------------------// // The Wedding // Story: Harry Potter, Knight of the moon // by The Walker //------------------------------// The wedding was going perfectly for Chrysalis. Princess Celestia was about to unknowingly marry aware her greatest supporter and she hadn’t even figured out that she wasn’t Cadence yet. Chrysalis was weary of Luna, but after noticing that she tended to sleep the day away was unworried about her interference. She had a changeling replace the captain of the night guard and was fully prepared to take out Celestia as soon as she finished marrying her and Shining Armor. “If anyone should wish for these two not to wed, speak now or forever hold your peace.” Celestia glanced around the room at the ponies. “Very well, I now……” With a crack akin to the sound of thunder and the scent of burning, Harry along with Cadence and Twilight appeared in the room. Harry’s horn was smoking and crackled with sparks of magic. Celestia blinked at the sight and Chrysalis’s mouth hangs open in astonishment. How could they have escaped the cavern with magic? The Crystals should have stopped them. “Cadence?” Celestia’s voice conveyed extreme confusion as she glanced between Chrysalis and the real Cadence. “Princess Celestia, the pony standing next to you is an imposter. The real Princess Cadence is right here.” As Harry brought a hoof up to gesture to Cadence next to him, he stumbled against her. He righted himself but seemed unsteady. “I’m alright.” He looked at Chrysalis before seeming to decide something. “I may not have the energy to fight you” Chrysalis was secretly glad not to fight this unicorn. “but I know somepony who can.” Harry’s eyes closed, and Chrysalis moved as she felt the captain’s magic darken. He horn glowed a sickly green color as her disguise disappeared in green flames and a blast of magic smashed into Celestia who still stood in shock. “Oh you shouldn’t have done that.” Chrysalis growled as she spun around to confront the arrogant unicorn who dared to defy her will, but stopped as she stared. The unicorn was different now. His fear seemed to be darker and he stood steady without any of his weariness before. His magic was darker and seemed more oppressive. He still had his eyes closed and Chrysalis took a step back as he opened them. Instead of eyes that reminded Chrysalis of the emeralds sometimes found by workers in the hives the eyes now glowed a sinister green light with a slitted pupils instead of normal ones. The pony now smirked at her. “Hello, I am Spectre” His horned lit up with a dark light that seemed to absorb the natural light. “Pleased to make your acquaintance” His horn let loose with a blast of raw magic. “Or not.” Spectre leaped at the thing  impersonating Harry and felt a satisfying smash as his hoof smashed into its head and its magic failed as it reverted back to bug form. Spectre grabbed his shield from the bug’s back and smashed the bug’s skull with it before dodging the magic bolt heading towards his back. He turned around his shield floating next to him as he complemented what he assumed to be the bugs leader. She had an appearance similar to an alicorn though obviously more bug like. She reeked of disguise magic and was glaring at him as he looked at her. “You know, for a bug thing, you aren’t that bad looking.” She literally growled at him as she started to throw magic at him. Spectre merely brought his shield up and laughed as the spells bounced off. “You are going to have to try harder than that if you want to beat me.” “Oh, I will.” Spectre felt her kick collide with his side and grunted. He wouldn’t have a problem with her getting physical in this fight if he had his alicorn body, but that was currently unusable thanks to the elements.  Spectre brought his shield up and swung it at her as it changed into sword shape. It was met with a clang by a guard’s sword held by Chrysalis’s magic. “I am going to win I hope you know.” “You and what army.” Spectre didn’t like her fanged grin. “This one.” Spectre looked through a nearby window as he felt the barrier going down. He watched as the clouds and birds in the sky burst into green flames and reveal more of the black bug things. “I have to admit, that is a nice army.” Spectre’s sword burst into flames as it melted through the guards. “But I bet if I kill, you the rest of the bugs won’t have anyone to order them anymore.” He glanced at Chrysalis and noted her staring at his sword waringly. He smirked. “En guarde.”  His sword blurred as it swung at her. Harry sat in his dreamscape listening in on the battle as he recovered the magic he had burned up escaping from that damned crystal cavern. It had literally caused his magic to start on fire as he used it and apparition through the crystals didn’t help him at all. He had barely made it through and manage to land them at the wedding. The only reason Spectre could still fight was because he could draw on the ambient magic in the air better than Harry could himself. Even now Harry could feel their horn burning as magic was cast through it to levitate their sword. Their sword was special beyond being made out of raw magic. It cost Harry and Spectre nothing to levitate it and swing it around. They didn’t even require magic to use the sword. Harry was certain that even if they cut off their magic the sword would still move for them. The only thing that required magic was the flames they could engulf the sword in. Harry winced as he felt Spectre get cut in the side when he was too slow to block one of the swords the bug queen was launching at them. Harry was worried about the current state of their shared body. It was tearing itself apart as Spectre drew in magic to reinforce it. Harry was certain they also had a fever as he had felt like he was burning up before switching places with Spectre. Harry felt another blade cut them as Spectre missed deflecting it with their sword. Harry glanced at the shadows as he thought and he strode over to the window to look at the wall. Despite Spectre assuring him it was holding, the cracks in it had spread. Where there had only been one crack, there were now at least a dozen. Harry knew what was out there and was glad it wasn’t able to get in. He turned from the windows and strolled up to the shadows as he checked on Spectre’s status in the fight. He winced as he felt the dozens of small cuts Spectre had accumulated over the short time he had been thinking. Even though he could absorb ambient magic, their body could still only handle so much fighting before failing on them. Harry looked deep into the shadows and he came to a decision. “Spectre can’t fight properly in the state our body is in and you’re always complaining that we don’t let you do much.” The shadows stopped there crawling about between the pillars as if listening to him. “Well here is your chance to do something. Go out and stop that Bug queen. Don’t harm the girls or either of the Princess and we will see about letting you out more in the future. Agreed?” The shadows went absolutely still before flickering as if nodding. “Very well, this is your only chance, don’t blow it.” Chrysalis looked at Spectre who was bleeding from cuts all over his body. He had fought a good fight, she supposed, though he had been getting slower the entire fight. She was bored now as she glanced over at Celestia who had been incased in a cocoon by the working changeling and turned to the doors as they opened and the elements of harmony strode in. “This is the best Equestria has to offer.” She gestured at Spectre behind her. “A unicorn that can barely stand and a bunch of girls who are useless without pieces of jewelry.” She laughed at their defeated looks. “Are you sure about this Harry?” Chrysalis blinked as she turned to look at the Spectre. He appeared to be talking to himself. “This is quite dangerous as you know.” Spectre’s head tilted to the side. “Very well, if you are sure.” “What are you babbling on about unicorn?” Spectre looked at her. “A change in opponents.” “Wha…” Chrysalis gasped as Spectre’s body burst into black flames. She backed away as the flames grew and she heard the elements of harmony cry out in shock. She watched the flames die down and looked at the new form in confusion wondering who it was supposed to be until she heard Twilight speak a name as she looked at the pony in horror. “Nightmare Moon.”